K+12 unimplementable without enabling legislation

THE Kabataan Partylist warned today that the Department of Education’s K+12 program could not be implemented without an enabling legislation from Congress.

“There is no statute that states the different levels of formal education pursued by the K+12 program. Thus far, the levels of formal education remain to be elementary and secondary education under the Education Act of 1982. Nowhere does it speak of middle school or senior high school, as outlined in the K+12 program.” This was the statement of Atty. Terry Ridon, national president and general counsel of Kabataan Partylist, as he expressed concern that schoolchildren and parents will be forced into an education program without the imprimatur of Congress.

“The enabling legislation for K+12 remains lagging in Congress. It has not yet been passed so we wonder what legal basis does government have to implement it?” Ridon said.

Ridon said that absent an enabling legislation, parents would be forced into needless expenses for their children’s education.

“What shall become of these schoolchildren if the K+12 program is rejected by Congress?”

Ridon said that the DepEd cannot make as a defense that the K+12 program is only being implemented partially, such as to make mere curricular changes.

“A partial implementation is already a total implementation of the program, as schoolchildren are now being prepped by government that theirs year of study will now be twelve instead of ten. Moreover, government is already changing its entire curriculum in pursuit of K+12. How can it still not be a total implementation?”

Ridon said that government should focus first on the shortage of facilities, teachers and infrastructure in the public education system, as increasing the number of years of study will only stretch thinly the already limited funding of public schools.